Orthopaedic appliance



April 27, 1948. HE. HUKILL 2,440,273

V ORTHOPAEDIC APPLIANCE Filed Sept". 14, 1945 -its lateral border l2.

Patented Apr. 27, 1948 ORTHOPAEDIC APPLIANCE Harry Edward Hukill, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Velva-Sole Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of California Application September 14, 1943, Serial No. 502,358

4 Claims. 1

, My invention relates to that class of appliances which are designed to provide foot relief from the various types of weakened arch conditions and for the purpose of restoring the weakened foot to its normal positions and'natural function. This device is not an arch support primarily but is an arch exerciser and tread balancer. It is an object to provide a device which furnishes support and massage for the principal arches of the foot without interferingv with the three natural weight-bearing centers of the foot, viz., the heel, the first metatarsal and the fifth metatarsal heads. 1

I accomplish this and other objects as will become apparent by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the resilient cOre with the covers removed. Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the core taken on the line 22 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side elevation of the core. Figure 4 is a top plan View of the complete ap plian ce; Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. Similar numerals refer to'similar parts of the several views.

The device as designed includes a series of elevated cushion rests, so shaped, located and covered that when placed in the proper position for the foot to rest on, and the body weight is applied to the plantar surface of the foot inthe act of walking, this series of cushion rests acts as a means of mechanical massage to the tissues supporting the bones forming the principal arches of the foot. The rests also aid in maintaining normal articulation of the tarsal and metatarsal bones, thus acting as a tread balancer. Taken as a whole Figure 1 is a one-piece molded core of a soft resilient material. The medial or inner cushion rest of the core is a half-dome l3, straight on the medial border H and semicircular on its lateral border l2, thicker in thecenter l3 of the medial border II and having a convexity which slopes to the circumference of Continuing from the posterior part of the half-dome I6, and in line with its medial border II, is the cushioned rest I for the heel, the same being a narrow, eliptical, or U-shaped strip, thicker at its outer circumferential border and tapering, to a thin edge on its inner circumferential border. The [cushion heel rest l4 joins the posterior extremity of along cushioned rest I5. This rest has a convex superior surface it and is somewhat triangular in shape as a whole, being narrow posteriorly, gradually increasing .anteriorly and extending beyond the half-dome Ill. The lateral border of the long cushioned rest I5 is substantially straight with the outer lateral circumferential border of M, and continues anteriorly to the curved corner ll which joins the anterior border or base of the triangle I8, continuing to the medial corner 19 of the base and the medial :border '20 which has a semi-circular shaped im pression 2!, into which the semi-circular lateral border I l of the cushion rest l0 fits. Here at this location 2| a thin layer of the same material joins the approximate borders of the cushion rest I0 and the cushion rest I5, thus completing the structure of the one-piece molded core.

This one-piece molded resilient core body, when coveredv by suitable material such as leather applied to its superior and inferior surfaces in the form of sheets 22, forms a series of cushioned'rests. The covering material acts as a means of anchoring the cushioned rests ina normal position under the plantar surface of the foot. The covering 22 over the cushioned rest l4 forms a depression for the heel or calcaneous bone which forms the posterior pillar of the arch; the attachment of the cushioned rest I!) to the anterior medial extremity, and the cushion rest 15 to the anterior lateral extremity of the cushioned heel rest I 4, bring the rests l l and M to rest in a normal position, this normal position being under the dome of the medial longitudinal arch and the transverse arch formed by the talus and the navicular bones and tissues of the plantar surface of the foot. It will readily be understood that the device can be made in a variety of sizes and shapes, all of which conform to the basic idea as shown and described. With the cushioned rests l0 and Min position, the lateral or inner long cushion rest l5 being attached is held in position under the fundamental longitudinal arch, which consists of the calcaneous, cuboid, third cuneiform and the third meta tarsal, and rests under the transverse metatarsal arch between the first and fifth metatarsal bones. The lateral or inner long cushion rest 15, due to its position under the fundamental arch, assists in supporting the lateral longitudinal arch.

With this series of cushioned rests suitably covered and in normal position under the arches of the plantar surface of the foot, by the action of the foot upon the cushioned rests a massaging and exercising effect is obtained which assists in the restoration of the arches and acts as a tread balanced by shifting the weight to the normal points of the heel, first and fifth metatarsal bones.

It will be apparent that the cushioned rest l5 provides an egg-shaped metatarsal pad portion at the forward end of the core body, the longitudinal axis of the egg-shaped portion being inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the core body with the widest portion disposed rearwardly. From the egg-shaped metatarsal pad portion there extends rearwardly a thin strip portion, laterally convex on itsuppe'r surface, which has an inwardly extending projection providing a cuboid pad portion. The inner cushion rest I0 is connected to the rear of the said strip portion by an elliptical or U-shaped heel section. The covers 22 extend beyond the margins of the body at the forward end of the device and laterally at each side of the said metatarsal pad portion. With the construction outlined it will be apparent that the heel section I4, providing a heel rest within it, and the extending covers 22 at the lateral margins of the device, serve to locate the device in a shoe and inproper relation to the foot to permit the first andififth metatarsal heads and the heel. to bear directly onfthe walking plane. The remainder of the device provides support and massage for the principal'a'rches o'fthe foot.

The perforations 23 provide ventilation and reduce perspiration and: alsoact as a massaging agent; It has also been found desirable to inrpregnate. the resilient core with perfume as thisrcan: befeasily do'ne in the process of manufacture. Various perfumes can be used, but that known as damask lias'proven satisfactory.

What I claim'as my invention and desire to secure bytIiettersPatent is:

l. A foot support and exerciser comprising an elongated body-formed of resilient material and having a flat lower surface, said body being formed to provide a metatarsal pad portion at its forward end having a convexly curved upper surface and tapering in Width to a relatively narrow strip in the medial portion of the body along the outer side thereof, said strip portion having a laterally convexly curved upper surface and having an inwardly extending projection to provide a cuboid pad portion, said body having a substantially semi-circular half-domelike pad portion located medially of the body along the inner side thereof, having a heel'portion compn'sing a relatively thin substantially U-shaped-loop extending from said last mentioned padportion to said cuboid pad portion; and relatively thin flexible covers for the upper and lower surfaces of said body, said covers extending for a substantial distance beyond the lateral margins of said body in the region of the metatarsalpad portion thereof.

2. A foot support and exerciser comprising an elongated body formed of resilient material and having a flat lower surface, said body being formed toprovide a metatarsal pad portion at its forward end having a convexly curved upper surface, said portion being substantially egg shaped in plan view with the longitudinal axis, thereof inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body and with its widest portion disposed rearwardly, a narrow strip portion in the medial portion of the body along the 4 outer side thereof forming a continuation of said metatarsal pad portion, said strip portion having a laterally convexly curved upper surface and having an inwardly extending projection to provide a cuboid pad portion, said body having a substantially semi-circular half-dorne-like pad portion located medially of the body along the inner side thereof and having a heel portion comprising a relatively thin and narrow submentioned pad portion to said cuboid pad portion.

3. A foot support and exerciser comprising an elongated body formed of resilient material and having a fiat lower surface, said body being formed to provide a metatarsal pad portion at itsforward end adapted to support only the second, third and fourth metatarsal heads and having a convexly curved upper surface, said portion being substantially egg-shaped in plan view, and an elongated narrow strip portion forming a continuation of said metatarsal 'pa'd portion, said strip portion having a laterally'coni vexly curved upper surface and having an inwardly extending projection to provide a cuboid pad portion, the longitudinal axis of said 'm'e't'atarsal pad portion being inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said strip portion, said metatarsal pad portion having its widest portion disposed rearwardly.

4. A foot support and exerciser comprising an elongated body formed of resilient material and having a flat lower surface, said body being formed to provide a metatarsal pad portion at its forward end adapted to support only the second, third and fourth metatarsal heads and having a convexly curved upper surface, said portion being substantially egg shaped in plan view, and an elongated narrow strip portion forming a continuation of said metatarsal pas portion, said strip portion having a laterally convexly curved upper surface and having an inwardly extending projection to provide "a cuboid pad portion being inclined atan angleto the longitudinal axis of said strip portion, said metatarsal pad portion having its widestportioh disposed rearwardly, and a relatively thin fiexible cover for the upper surface of said body, said cover extending for a substantial distance beyond the lateral margins of theqb'ody in the region of the metatarsal pad portion thereof:

HARRY EDWARD HUKILL.

REFERENCES error) The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

